The problem comes next summer when we also have to give up Schwartz, if not another player. It's too much.

Yeah I get that, the thinking is that Marchessault is the replacement for either Schwartz or Tarasenko. If Tarasenko comes back, great we’ve got Schwartz’s replacement for a bargain deal. If he can’t comeback, at least Marchessault is a decent alternative.

I'd be annoyed to give up Kostin but I'd do it for Marchessault. I think Vladi will bounce back but I'm very worried about the prospect of having Schwartz long term with all the other 7/8 year contracts we've got on the books now.

Yeah giving up on him could be a mistake. He’s been kinda disappointing this year, but I also feel like he’s got Gurianov energy where he’ll just come out of nowhere when everybody thought he was washed.

I think he will be an NHL'er and maybe even a decently productive one at that (similar to Gurianov, though he's only had one good year) but even so, I think the chances of Kostin (and Sanford too for that matter) reaching a top six, reliably twenty goal guy level is thin and if that's the way it is then you gotta go with the proven (and cost controlled!) top six talent when the window is now, even if it burns you a bit later. You can always find middle six guys who can chip in 10-15 goals in the UFA market

Marchy would be a nice add. I think he is friends with Perron - they didn't play on a line in Vegas but he would make a good fit at LW with ROR-DP. Definitely makes things trickier for future seasons though, so unless there is a way to keep Schwartz I don't see the Blues having much interest.

I'd be fine losing that package, even for a stud rental piece (Hall/Palmieri/etc) if we're in need at the deadline. But I think you're right when you say